RALEIGH (Feb. 2, 2010) -- To protect North Carolina’s business climate, business leaders across North Carolina are urging Gov. Beverly Perdue to protect the state’s vital public investments.

In a sign-on letter released today by the budget issues coalition Together NC, North Carolina business leaders advised Perdue to use every tool in her budgetary toolbox – including raising new revenue.

“As you put together your budget, we urge you to put all options on the table to deal with the budget shortfall, including revenue,” the letter says.

The letter was signed by a collection of business leaders in the manufacturing, textiles, technology, retail, and investment sectors from around the state, including Robert L. “Roddy” Jones of Davidson & Jones in Raleigh, and Mack B. Pearsall of PVC, Inc. in Asheville. Together NC is a coalition of 120-plus groups from across North Carolina working for a balanced approach on the state budget.

The letter cites Site Selection magazine, which named North Carolina the No. 1 place to locate a business, and Forbes Magazine’s ranking of North Carolina as one of the top three states for business in America.

This comes from, the letter says, “what we know works in North Carolina”: critical public investments in infrastructure, education, community colleges, public safety and more.

"None of these systems are accidental. We built them all as a state, because we wanted to be more, do more, earn and produce more in North Carolina.

Our state now stands at a crossroads and it’s up to you and other state policymakers to decide whether North Carolina maintains its competitive edge against other states and countries, or slowly sinks into the ranks of the undistinguished and uncompetitive," the letter says.